The bottom connector of a tension leg platform (TLP) tendon connects the lower end of the tendon to an anchor template or pile on the sea floor in order to transfer tendon loads into the anchor structure.
There are two primary types of bottom connectors. Side entry bottom connectors are installed into a tendon bottom receptacle by inserting the connector through a slot in the side of the receptacle. Vertical entry bottom connectors are inserted downward through the top of the receptacle.
Typically, vertical entry bottom connectors are large and expensive to manufacture. Some prior art versions require rotation to engage and disengage the receptacle. Other versions require landing on a shoulder within the receptacle to release the connector. These latter devices have the additional, potential disadvantage of subjecting the tendons of the TLP to compressive forces.